Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-26
Washington Gossip.
Especial correspondence of the Journal

Growers BoYs PLAY WHILE he IS AWAY.
Washington was very dull place while the
President was on his starring tour. Some of
the Cabinet officers, and many of the bureau
officers in the departments took advantage of
the absence of the Chief Executive, and skip
ped to New York city, and other places, to
''do shopping" 1t is surprising how frequent
ly official business calls some of the govern
ment officials to Northern cities. Nearly
every day one sees in the local papers a para
graph like this: ''Chief Clerk - of the
Dept; or ASST. Secretary -
has gone to New York on official business and
will return in few days" Thereat some
outsiders who have participated in the festivi-
ties which frequently garnish these 'ofticial
trips, smile broadly.
Mss COLUMBIA DOES SOME HOUSE CLEANING.
| During the Presidents absence, Miss Colum.
bia with Uncle Sans consent, took possession
of the White House, went to cleaning house
in good earnest. Everything was made ''spick,
span" clean. Not a spot of dust or dirt was
visible anywhere. New carpets of elegant
pattern were laid in the East Room and in
the Blue Parlor. That in the latter room was
designed especially to correspond with the
blue decorations of the walls and ceilings.
Many new articles of furniture were pur'
chased, and especial pains was taken with the
private apartments of the President and Mrs.
Cleveland.
THE WELCOME TO THE RETURNING President.
1t 10 a significant fact that when the Presi-
dent and party arrived here on their return,
there was not the slightest demonstration OF
welcome, and yet if there are any grateful
democrats they ought to be found in Wash
ington among the thousands whom he has
appointed to fat offices The depot was
almost vacant when the gilded train rolled in.
A still more significant fact is, that last week
resolution WAS introduced into the mos
prominent democratic club here, directing
the appointment of committee to arrange
the details of q demonstration of welcome
upon the Presidents return. 1t was voted
down by large majority.
No REPUBLICANS NEED APPLY.
There certainly is something crooked abou
the recent acceptance of the bill of Col
Bangs for work and material on the new
public building in Augusta. Col. Freret, the
| supervising architect, fully intended when he
advertised for bids the second time
to let the contract to the lowest bidder
When the bids were all in, however
! it was found that Horace Purington's bid was
on the whole, the lowest. Then Col. Freret
had an attack of nightmare, and imagined thai
the Hallowell Granite Company is being rep
resented by burlington. council of war wa:
| held, aud it was determined to reject Purring
| tons bid at all hazards. The bids cont ained
estimates by stones, and it was found, upoc
close examination, that while Purington''
| bid, in the aggregate, was below that of Col
Bangs, yet the estimate for the first story by
the latter was trife below that of the for
mer. Here was a loop hole. 1t was given
out ut once that on account of a lack Of
funds, the Supervising Architect had decided
to build only one story of the structure a
present, and wait for Congress to appropriate
more money, when that was completed
There is no doubt but what this change OF
purpose grew out of fear that the Hailowell
Granite Company might get the benefit of tbs
contract. Col. Freret won his title while ir
the c. S. A., fighting to destroy the govern
ment from which he now draws his salary
and no republican will get a contract to build
public building while he is in office if he
knows it.
INTERESTING TO OLD SOLDIERS.
1t may be an interesting fact to some of the
BOYS who fought at Gettysburg and who
witnessed and helped repel the terrible charge
of the rebel division commanded by General
/ Pickett. that his widow and son are both EN-.
I poyed in the Interior Department, and that
! the former is in the pension bureau. 1t was
not because of modesty that more of hi,
| family were not given places under the gov
eminent. twas simply because-there were
10 more in the family.
DEMOCRATS GIVE UP New YORK.
prominent memoer of Tammany. mar
of deep political sagacity, told me to-day that
the democrats were absolutely hopeless o.
carrying New York. They conceded all the
| State officers to the republicans. The same
Tammany man has watched the influx of the
rebel element into the public service and ha:
seen, with mingled feelings of amazemen
and disgust, the machinery of the govern.
ment turned over to the very men who, a
short time ago, were so anxious to destroy the
country, and so have thousands of others.
The effect will be seen at the polls.
| PUNISHED FOR BEING OUT O'NIGHr.
1t does not seem to be generally known
that migratory birds make their way south by
night, and feed during the day, but such
seems to be the fact The electric lights
may be seen from so great height that the
birds, in their midnight flight far above the
city, are attracted by the brilliancy, and de-
scend so low that their chrping may be heard
all night long az they pass over, and thous-
ands are killed by striking against the lights.
One night this week the pavements in some
| localities were strewn with their bodies. II
is said that many ducks and reed birds al
this time OF the year kill themselves by strik'
ing against the Washington monument upon
foggy nights.
THE OLD AcoUEDUCr BRIDGE.
Many visitors to Washington will remem-
Der the old acqueduct bridge which spanned
the Potomac at Georgetown, across which
nearly all the visitors to Arlington passed
The fact that il was a toll bridge kept the
price of the real estate on the Virginis side
down to low figure. Last winter the gov
eminent bought it a very handsome iron
structure, which will be tree to all, is now in
progress of construction. Property over the
river has doubled and tribled in price, and
there is rush to buy. 1t is likely that there
will be a street car across the bridge and up
ba Arlinntnp Natioual Cpmptpry